First time Brewer

[Jeffs-a-brewin]

Hello all. I am a first time brewer. I have followed the directions and now my Wort (i think thats what it is) is in the bucket with the stopper and airlock. My question is. with my kit came a large glass carboy. I know this is for second fermentation but i'm confused as to if i'm supposed to use the airlock. Isn't it supposed to be cabonating? If theres a way for the gas to excape wont it be flat. I still have a few days before its time for the next stage. Help me out here please.

Could that carboy just be for wine and i am not to use it in beer making? just a thought i had after typing that all

 

[loopmd]

Wort stays in bucket for about a week. Then transfer it to your carboy with the airlock for about an additional 2 weeks. Carbonation does not occurr until you add the priming sugar to the bottling bucket right before you bottle your beer. It's called bottle conditioning. You won't want to touch your beer after you bottle it for about another 2 weeks to allow for this carbonation to occurr. Hope this helps. Happy brewing......dave

 

[Jeffs-a-brewin]

Ok so when it stops bubbling in the bucket i transfer to the glass carboy but i dont add anything to it? Will it start to bubble again after its in the glass carboy and stop again. One question answered bring even more unknowns

 

[loopmd]

Not a problem with the questions. That's what we are all here for. You will experience a little bubbling in the carboy at first right after you transfer, then it will subside and you will notice the beer start to "clear up". And don't add anything to it when you transfer to your carboy.

 

[rightwingnut]

You want to transfer to the carboy to get the beer off of the "trub", or particulate which settles on the bottom, along with dead yeast cells. Leaving it in primary too long can cause off flavors. I would go to secondary even if it's still bubbling...

 

[Janx]

Racking to the secondary is just a way of moving your beer to a clean new home. It'll be tastier that way. Generally, you rack to the secondary within a week, when fermentation is almost but not quite done.

Carbonation happens in the bottle. You will put the finished beer into bottles, add a precise amount of sugar, and a very small fermentation within the bottles will cause it to become pressurized and carbonated.

Focus on sanitizing everything carefully, bring questions here and you'll be fine

 

[Jeffs-a-brewin]

I do believe i'm on my way to actually making this work. now that i know whats going on. Thank you for your help

 

[Hops, Tx]

Here's a question then concerning the primary...
Most of the time (if not all the time) beer should be kept in the primary for only about a week, but can be left in the secondary (depending on the recipe, or preference) for as long as you like...is that correct?????
Thanks for your help

 

[loopmd]

I wouldn't say as long as you like. Generally it is a couple of weeks. You can wait a little longer, until you are ready to bottle.

 

[Janx]

Here's a question then concerning the primary...
Most of the time (if not all the time) beer should be kept in the primary for only about a week, but can be left in the secondary (depending on the recipe, or preference) for as long as you like...is that correct?????
Thanks for your help

I doubt you're really talking about leaving it there for your grandkids to inhierit, so with that in mind, yeah, you can leave it as long as you want. Several months is no big deal.

In the end, beer is a fresh product, not aged like wine, so you don't leave it there for years or anything. But as long as the airlock is full, you're safe for a long time and your beer will improve with the aging.